Who among you fears the Lord? Who obeys the voice of His Servant? Who walks in darkness And has no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord And rely upon his God.
-Isaiah 50 : 10
Look, all you who kindle a fire, Who encircle yourselves with sparks: Walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks you have kindled—This you shall have from My hand: You shall lie down in torment.
-Isaiah 50 : 11
To summarise- Who readily takes their calling exactly the manner Jesus approached ? This is the question put forth to us!
Before meditating on this verse, let’s understand what’s happening in the spiritual realm. Any role we get to play in this world is not from men or through any man but through Christ and God Himself.
Galatians 1 : 1
Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead),
We really need to understand that we are God’s children and that we have inheritance from God Himself. We also need to simultaneously understand that we are always accused by our adversary that we should be denied of both.
His accusations are against 2 things
- our eligibility as children of God
- our eligibility to gain inheritance
We are well aware of his accusations against our sins. We now and then confess and reconcile with Father God. We are justified with blood of Christ. But the accusations are not still over !
Are we aware of his one more accusation against us ? The adversary is very particular that we don’t acquire inheritance from God. The following verses speak of what the accusation is about and how Jesus is justified of it !
Isaiah 50 : 5-8
The Lord God has opened My ear; And I was not rebellious, Nor did I turn away.
I gave My back to those who struck Me, And My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting.
“For the Lord God will help Me;Therefore I will not be disgraced; Therefore I have set My face like a flint, And I know that I will not be ashamed.
He is near who justifies Me; Who will contend with Me? Let us stand together. Who is My adversary? Let him come near Me.
The Adversary raises a suspicion on the character of God’s children of their rebellion and turning away nature and that they shouldn’t get any inheritance from God. For this reason one need to be tested and declared of their innocence in God’s court of justice. They are to be proved of their fear of God, obedience, sole dependence on God – a state of a servant. A servant is one who fears his master, has no choice of his own but obey completely, walk blindly solely depending on master’s commands (words).
For God to justify and for the adversary to be cleared of his suspicion, every chosen is commissioned an assignment – torment to prove their state of obedience and not turning away. Jesus out of faith on God set His face like a flint, relied on God for help and justification. He didn’t turn a rebellion or turn away in suffering. He kept His fire kindled, liting people around Him. God gave Him rewards – restoration of Zion, salvation to the world, eternal vindication to receive greater inheritance. Every chosen too pass through the torment same way Jesus passed through by faith and total reliance on God. It’s then they are declared innocent , proving fear of God, obedience, sole dependence on God.
Isaiah 50 : 10,11
Who among you fears the Lord? Who obeys the voice of His Servant? Who walks in darkness And has no light (state of sole dependency on the Lord) ? Let him trust in the name of the Lord And rely upon his God.
Look, all you who kindle a fire, Who encircle yourselves with sparks: Walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks you have kindled—This you shall have from My hand: You shall lie down in torment.
God calls His chosen as “fire kindlers and who encircles themselves with sparks of liting others”. The chosen to travel the path the Lord has kept. The path becomes evident as they keep their fire burning and also simultaneously liting others around them. Failing either, they loose the path. Even if one have their own fire kindled but not have lit others, they have a narrow vision to loose the path. But all those who kindle their fire and encircle themselves with sparks of liting others, they march forward to receive inheritance without fear of falling.
We have been working in the army / in our own calling. Let’s ponder over the experience of working. Some would have denied their responsibility, some would have taken their own path not lifting up others, some would have raised as rebellion and fallen but some would have shown constant progress.
This is what the Lord is encouraging us on !
You will walk in the path the Lord has kept for you only when you keep your fire kindled and your sparks encircle yourself by lighting the team/ people around you !You will gain inheritance from God only when you partake in the vessel God gives. (Vessel - might not be easy to hold, might be unbearable, might be of unjust nature and might have to carry the cross and so on).
Sol.Dr.Sujatha
